Ice fishing unit



March 28, 1967 J. VANDER JAGT ICE FISHING UNIT Filed Oct. 6, 1965INVENTOR. MflMiS 1 94/05? /46 7 BY M 5&2.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,311,107 ICE FISHING UNIT James VanderJagt, 15702 Pruin St., Spring Lake, Mich. 49456 Filed Oct. 6, 1965, Ser.No. 493,446 8 Claims. (Cl. 126-204) This invention relates to portableheating boxes for ice fishermen or hunters and, more specifically, toboxes combining the functional aspects of a heater, seat and utilitybox.

Ice fishermen and hunters customarily carry a sturdy box to the fishingor hunting site. The box isutilized as a seat while fishing or hunting.Usually, the box is provided with a lid such that fishing tackle,lunches and other accessories may be stored therein. This inventioncontemplates one such box which contains additionally a portable heatingunit.

It is an object of this invention to provide a portable heating box foruse by sportsmen which may be manufactured and sold relativelyinexpensively.

It is an object of this invention to provide a portable heating boxwhich does not contain an integral heating unit, but rather, may beutilized in conjunction with any heating unit of proper dimensions whichthe buyer may already possess.

It is an object of this invention to provide a portable heating box forsportsmen which has sufiicient structural strength to support thesportsman when he sits on it, and yet, does not weigh so much as torender its transportation to the fishing or hunting site impractical.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a portable heatingbox which combines in the same unit the functional aspects of a separateutility box.

It is another object of this invention to provide a portable heating boxhaving fishing rod and rope carrying assemblies attached thereto.

These and other objects will be made more clear by reference to thefollowing figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device which is the subject of thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a broken away exploded perspective showing the fishing polecarrier assembly; and,

FIG. 4 is a broken away exploded perspective showing the rope holderassembly.

Briefly, the objects of this invention are accomplished by providing anenclosure having a bottom, a plurality of sides and a lid removablymounted thereto. The enclosure is divided by a partition into twochambers. The first of these chambers has a plurality of cold air intakevents along the bottom of one wall and a plurality of warm air outletvents along the top of that same wall. The first chamber receives aheating unit. An arcuate air bafile of approximately the same width asthe first chamber is provided therein. This bafi le functions to directthe air entering the chamber through the air intake past the heatingunit and out the warm air exit vent. The second chamber forms a handlyutility box which may be utilized to carry lunches, fish or the like.

Referring now to the figures a specific and preferred embodiment of thisinvention will be discussed in detail. FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofthe heating box. As may be seen, it comprises an outer enclosure 1 whichhas a bottom, four rectangular sides, and a lid 2. The lid is preferablyaffixed to the enclosure by means of hinges indicated generally at 3. Apair of legs 4 are affixed to the bottom of the enclosure at each endthereof. In addition to reinforcing the structural characteristics ofthe heating box, legs 4 prevent melting of the ice when the heating boxis utilized by an ice fisherman.

3,311,107 Patented Mar. 28, 1967 A partition 5 is slidably mounted inthe enclosure 1. The partition is positioned and retained in place bymeans of slots 8 provided in the opposing wall of the enclosure as shownin FIG. 1. The partition 5 may be spaced at any point along the lengthof the container so that sufficient space is provided on one side of theenclosure to receive the heating unit. The partition 5 is preferablyprovided with a grasping means such that it may be easily removed fromthe enclosure 1. A hole, indicated generally at 6, has been foundsatisfactory for this purpose. A carrying strap 7 of any desired lengthis aifixed to the enclosure to facilitate transporting the heating boxto and from the fishing or hunting location.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 it will be seen that a heater unitchamber 19 is formed by the enclosure and the partition 5. A series ofapertures or vents 11 are provided along the bottom of one wall of theenclosure. A second series of apertures or vents 12 are provided nearthe top of the same wall. Arcuate air bafile 13 having a heat insulatedpull 14 afi'ixed thereto is positioned within the heating chamber bymeans of a lower bafile retainer 15 and an upper bafiie retainer 16.Pull 14 may be fabricated, for example, from wood. Baffle retainers 15and 16 are merely pieces of wood or metal having a length approximatelyequal to the width of the heater unit chamber. Preferably, the airbaffle 13 is fabricated from a resiiient material such as galvanizedsheet material. As may be clearly seen by reference to FIG. 2 the bafileis removed from and replaced in the heater unit chamber by merelydepressing the end adjacent baffle retainer 16. A utility chamber 17 isformed by that portion of the enclosure 1 which lies on the other sideof partition 5 from the heating unit chamber 11 Conveniently, a fishingpole retainer assembly may be afiixed to the outside of one of the wallsof the enclosure 1. As shown best in FIG. 3 pole retainer assembly 20comprise-s a solid planar pole butt support 21 running the entire widthof the enclosure and a drilled planar pole butt guide 22 positionedabove it a distance of one or two inches. Pole support 22 has a seriesof holes 23 drilled therein. These holes are of sufiicient diameter toaccommodate the fishing pole butt. A diameter of one inch has been foundsufiicient for this purpose. Preferably, the edges of pole supports 21and 22 are beveled as indicated at 24 to prevent snagging of clothing,upholstery and the like. The pole retainer assembly also includes aresilient strap 25 positioned as shown in FIG. 1.

Affixed to the opposite side of' enclosure 1 from the pole retainerassembly is a rope holder assembly 30. As may be seen from FIG. 4 therope holderassembly 30 comprises a pair of grooved cross members 31fitted together in such a manner that their outer surfaces are planar.The grooved cross members 31 are supported by a strut 3 2 which isafiixed to the side of enclosure 1.

When it is desired to go fishing or hunting in cold weather a heatingunit 49 of any suitable dimensions is placed in the heating unit chamber10. Such items as a lunch, extra fuel for the heating unit, fishingtackle, knives and the like may be placed in the utility chamber 17.Conveniently, a rope may be wound around the strut 32 of rope holderassembly 30. If the particular excursion is for fishing, the fishingpoles may be placed in the pole retainer assembly 20 by merelystretching elastic 2S and passing the butt of the fishing poletherethrough and into hole 23. The butt of the fishing pole will rest onsupport 21.

When the hunting or fishing site is reached, it is necessary only toremove bafile 14, ignite the heating unit, replace baflle 14 and closethe lid 2. The hunter or fisherman may then sit on the lid. Cold airenters the heating chamber via ducts 11 warmed by the heating unit, and

passes out through ducts 12. As the warm air escapes from the heatingchamber it passes upward warming the hunter or fishermans hands andface. When the days activities have been completed it is necessary onlyto remove baffie 13 by grasping insulated handle '14 and extinguish theheating unit. Any fish or the like which it is desired to take along maybe placed in the utility box.

Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been described indetail, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to theexact details of the embodiment described and that all devices comingwithin the spirit of this invention are to be covered by this patentunless the claims expressly state otherwise.

I claim:

1. A'fishing and hunting heating box comprising:

an enclosure having a bottom and a plurality of sides;

a lid for said enclosure;

means for removably affixing said lid to said enclosure;

a cold air intake vent positioned at the lower section of one wall ofsaid enclosure, said intake vent forming an air passage whereby cold airenters said enclosure;

a warm air outlet vent positioned at the upper section of said one wallof said enclosure, said outlet vent forming an air passage whereby warmair escapes said enclosure; and

- anarcuate air baffle of approximately the same width as said enclosureextending in an upward direction from an intermediate section of thewall opposite said one wall to a section of said one wall above saidoutlet vent.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said enclosure hasthe shape of a rectangular solid.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 which further comprises:

a plurality of legs aflixed to said bottom of said enclosure.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 which further comprises:

lower bafile retainer means affixed to the wall opposite said one wall;and

upperbaflle retainer means afiixed to said one wall, said upper bafileretainer means being positioned above said outlet vents.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 in which said upper and lowerbafiie retainer means comprise strips of material projecting into saidenclosure, said strips running parallel to said bottom of said enclosurefor a distance equal approximately to the width of said enclosure.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5 in which said arcuate airbaffie is fabricated from a resilient ma terial and has a heatinsulating pull attached thereto such that it may be removed from saidenclosure.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 6 which further comprises:

a carrying strap attached to said enclosure.

8. A fishing and hunting heating box comprising:

an enclosure having a bottom and a plurality of sides;

a lid for said enclosure;

means for removably afiixing said lid to said enclosure;

a partition for dividing said enclosure into first and second chambers;

a cold air intake vent positioned at the lower section of one wall ofsaid first chamber, said intake vent forming an air passage whereby coldair enters said first chamber;

a warm air outlet vent positioned at the upper section of said one wallof said first chamber, said outlet vent forming an air passage wherebywarm air escapes said enclosure; and

an arcuate air bathe of approximately the same width as said firstchamber extending in an upward direction from an intermediate section ofthe wall opposite said one wall to a section of said one wall above saidoutlet vent.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 374,219 12/1887Voltz l26275 2,698,646 1/1955 Hepworth 126204 2,829,635 4/1958 Teller126208 2,845,924 8/1958 Benda l26-208 2,904,031 9/1959 Scott 126-204FREDERICK L. MATTESON, 111., Primary Examiner.

E. G. FAVORS, Assistant Examiner.

1. A FISHING AND HUNTING HEATING BOX COMPRISING: AN ENCLOSURE HAVING ABOTTOM AND A PLURALITY OF SIDES; A LID FOR SAID ENCLOSURE; MEANS FORREMOVABLY AFFIXING SAID LID TO SAID ENCLOSURE; A COLD AIR INTAKE VENTPOSITIONED AT THE LOWER SECTION OF ONE WALL OF SAID ENCLOSURE, SAIDINTAKE VENT FORMING AN AIR PASSAGE WHEREBY COLD AIR ENTERS SAIDENCLOSURE; A WARM AIR OUTLET VENT POSITIONED AT THE UPPER SECTION OFSAID ONE WALL OF SAID ENCLOSURE, SAID OUTLET VENT FORMING AN AIR PASSAGEWHEREBY WARM AIR ESCAPES SAID ENCLOSURE; AND AN ARCUATE AIR BAFFLE OFAPPROXIMATELY THE SAME WIDTH AS SAID ENCLOSURE EXTENDING IN AN UPWARDDIRECTION FROM AN INTERMEDIATE SECTION OF THE WALL OPPOSITE SAID ONEWALL TO A SECTION OF SAID ONE WALL ABOVE SAID OUTLET VENT.